The Guardian
by DisneyLover590
Summary: Lieutenant Duckling AU. Emma is attacked on her way home one evening. In order to better protect her, Charming and Snow decide to hire a bodyguard to be by her side. Killian Jones needs a job to help raise his younger sister. However, he never thought to find love there too...
1. A Chance Meeting

Prologue

It was late. Later than normal for her to be out. But Emma was sure she would be ok. Even though she was almost done middle school, she needed tutoring to help keep up in some of her classes. But right now, she was waiting for the train to take her back home. She stood on the platform, wrapped in a deep blue cloak, wearing jeans and a grey long sleeve shirt, her purple school bag hanging off of one shoulder, her long blonde hair down, wavy from being in a braid all day, listening to music on her iPod. One foot was tapping away to the beat of the music, the speed of it trying to make her sandals come off but she kept a good grip on them. She was minding her own business but noticed some…unsavory characters walking towards her. The last train was pulling into the station but they were quickly approaching. She bit her lip nervously when all of the sudden someone wrapped their arm around her.

"There you are, love. I've been looking everywhere for you."

She looked up, her green eyes widening in surprise as a young man walked with her unto the train. He whispered in her ear.

"Don't be afraid. Just making sure they don't do anything to hurt you."

She nodded and as the train doors closed, separating them from the others, she turned towards her rescuer.

"Thank you very much, sir. I am in your debt."

He smiled, making a dimple appear on his left cheek and his blue eyes twinkle in laughter.

"You're welcome, miss. I'm Killian. And who do I have the pleasure of meeting?"

Emma bit her lip, not sure how much to reveal. While this person had saved her, he could also have ill intentions. But somehow, she didn't think so. He stood at about 6 feet tall with messy brown hair cut short. He was wearing jeans, a green t-shirt, and a black cloak. He tucked one foot, covered in canvas sneakers behind his other leg as he waited for her answer. She smiled, deciding to trust him since he had saved her.

"Emma, sir. It's a pleasure meeting you."

Killian leaned against the handrail he was holding on to.

"You're rather young to be out so late. You, what, can't be more than 16?"

Emma smiled, laughing hard, the laughter reaching her eyes.

"Nope. 14. I'm starting high school in the fall."

"Really young then. Why didn't your parents come and get you?"

Emma sat down, her stop still a little bit away.

"They're…busy is the right word I guess. They both work...late sometimes. I've been walking home alone since the beginning of the school year. I don't mind."

Killian sat down beside her.

"That sucks. But if you want some company, I don't mind volunteering."

Emma blushed and giggled.

"No, but thank you."

Then the train conductor came on over the intercom.

"Approaching the stop for Hawthorne Castle, market town, and theater district."

Emma stood up.

"This is my stop."

"You sure you don't want an escort? I don't feel comfortable letting you walk home alone."

Emma shook her head.

"I'll be fine. It's not that far to my place anyways."

As Emma started to get off the train, she felt a brush of lips on her hand. She turned to see Killian smiling as he let go of her hand.

"I hope to see you again."

Emma smiled, blushing as she pulled her hand away.

"Same here. Good night, Killian"

Emma stepped off the train and headed towards her home. She moved fast, anxious to get home after a long day, ready to start her weekend. She didn't notice the shadows moving in the alleys. Then from her right side, she was punched, knocked down to the ground but not knocked out. She struggled to get up as she was attacked again.

"Bitch. Your father is a cruel man. But now he knows that we won't be stopped. We can even attack his precious daughter."

Emma screamed as the men kept hitting her, and then proceeded to violate her in the worst way possible.


	2. Recoveries and Job Opportunities

**AN: First of all, wow! Thank you to everyone who is following this story: Im a Castle Fan, PlayingwithOblivion, mcw1979, pbgrizz, and vmhsnancy.**

**Also a thank you to laney. 18 for favoriting this story :D.**

**Sorry if the characters seem kinda OoC at times.**

**I don't own OUAT or the characters. They belong to Ed and Adam. I do own my storyline and my OC 's though.**

**I am looking for a beta reader if anyone is interested.**

**Here is the next chapter. Don't forget to R&amp;R!**

**DisneyLover590**

Chapter One

2 months later…

Killian heard footsteps pattering towards him as his younger sister, Tink, brought him the newspaper.

"Here you go. Killian, you read the paper like Mommy and Daddy did. Does that mean you're a grown up now?"

Killian chuckled. Tink was 7 and looked like a mini version of their mother at that age. Her hair was dirty blonde, leaning more towards the blonde, cut to chin length and her green eyes were always full of questions about things going on around her. Even though he had just turned 18, he thought about her question carefully.

"A little bit. But I will always be a kid when it comes to you. Now go get ready for school."

Tink smiled and ran off. Killian sighed. Their parents had passed away 4 months ago and he needed to find a steady paying job…soon. As Killian looked through the paper, he noticed an article about a mugging in market town. The victim, while still alive, was 14. He wondered if it could be the girl he had met on the train. He knew that they would never be anything but he had been concerned. Little did he know what the fates were planning for him.

Over at the hospital, the king and queen came in, followed by General James, and headed straight for their daughter's room. Once there, James shut the door, locked it, and then made sure that the blinds were closed as well. After checking everything, he nodded to the king, who then turned to the bed in the room. Resting there is Emma, hooked up to tons of machines and unable to look her father in the eye. King David stood at 6'4", his height a big factor in why people though he was a scary man. His blonde hair and beard were neatly trimmed and his blue eyes didn't miss much. Dressed in black slacks and a red button down shirt, he looked like he was going to an office for a meeting. He took in the full extent of Emma's injuries. Emma bit her lip and looked up to her dad.

"…father…I'm so sorry…I should've been paying attention…but..."

Emma's words are cut off as her father hugs her tightly. Her mother smiles at the two of them. James chuckles a little.

"Would you look at that? David has a heart after all"

David glared at James. James didn't flinch. He had been working his way through the ranks of the army and was a confidant to the king. He stood at 5'7" with messy brown hair that barely made army regulations and hazel eyes that sometimes bordered on green. He wore jeans with his army jacket and a brown shirt, leaning against the window, smirking at the king.

"Oh hush, James. Don't make me send Snow after you."

James glanced at Snow, remembering that she was a black belt in most of the material arts, having trained her himself in some of them. Although she might not look it, Snow was a formidable fighter, training in material arts since she was a child. Her long black hair was pulled back into a braid and her green eyes looked at her daughter in joy and sadness. She wore a dark blue skirt and white top. However, James had a funny feeling that she had shorts on underneath in case she needed to protect her family.

"Sorry, sir."

David nodded and looked down at Emma.

"Are you feeling alright? Have the doctors been taking good care of you?"

Emma rolled her eyes. Why wouldn't the doctors take good care of her? She was the princess of their kingdom. They were working around the clock making sure her injuries healed properly. However, that didn't stop the nightmares and fits she was having.

"The physical ones yes. But father…the nightmares…they keep getting worse."

Snow knelt down beside her daughter.

"Dreams about the attack? How bad are they?"

"Bad enough that so far, I am the only one who can calm her down from them"

Everyone in the room turned to see the head doctor step into the room and lock the door again. At all the questioning eyes, he held up a key. David grunted in slight disgust. Snow looked at him.

"Calm her? She's having fits?" Snow looked at her daughter in question. Emma nodded.

"Yeah. And they can get pretty bad sometimes. But every hypnosis treatment they have tried won't stick. The nightmares still slip through…and it is happening during the day as well. It scares me, Mother. I'm not sure what to do at this point"

Snow and David took their daughter into their arms, trying their hardest to convey all of their love and hope to her, trying to tell her how proud they are of her. Emma started to sob, hugging both of them.

The doctor stepped forward.

"I would love to release Emma from the hospital soon. However, it will be a while before she is ready to return to school or actually interact with the public. Are you willing to make some compromises so that she can continue healing?"

David nodded.

"Yes. And my first order of business will be to hire a bodyguard for her that will go everywhere with her."

"Father, we should have my tutor come to the castle to help me keep up with my work, even if we have to have a servant deliver it to school. I don't want to be held back a year in school because of this."

Snow nodded. She understood where Emma was coming from. It had been her idea to go through the public school system instead of the private. Her reasoning was that she could get a better understanding of what the kingdom actually thought of the royal family. However, she would miss a ton of school just trying to recover from her injuries.

"Of course my dear. Now we should go so that you can rest. We will see you soon."

Emma smiled as her parents, the doctor, and General James left. She cried herself to sleep, thinking about how lucky she was to have people who cared for her and loved her with all their hearts.

A few days later, Killian grabbed the paper from the front of their apartment, Tink sleeping in because there was no school. As Killian headed back to the kitchen, he looked through the wanted ads. Near the bottom pages, he saw an ad for a bodyguard. Looking to see where the position was, his jaw dropped a little to see it was at the palace. The king and queen were looking for a bodyguard for the princess. Like everyone else in the kingdom, he had never seen the princess because her parents were trying to protect her from the gangs and bandits that had set up shop during the previous king's reign. Something must have happened to her for them to go looking for a bodyguard to help out.

There was a small problem though. It was the weekend and he had promised Tink he would not go looking for jobs on weekends to take care of her and spend time with her. But they were only doing the interviews today. He bit his lip, trying to figure something out. Being a bodyguard to the princess would be a great job, especially since it meant that they would have a permanent home in the palace. As he thought about what he could possibly do, He heard footsteps approaching the kitchen, letting him know that Tink was finally awake.

"Good morning, big bro. You're up early today."

Killian smiled and hugged his sister.

"That's just because you slept in today. Now you must be starving. What would you like for breakfast?"

"Scrambled eggs, with lots of cheese!"

Killian laughed, making his way over to the fridge to grab the eggs. He glanced at the newspaper and saw the ad again. He decided that he was going to head over for an interview. Now he just needed to let Tink know. After he finished making her breakfast and placed it in front of her with a glass of milk, he took a seat beside her.

"Tink? Do you remember when I said that I wouldn't go looking for jobs on the weekends so I could spend them with you?"

Tink nodded.

"They are having interviews today at the palace for bodyguards to protect the princess. But they are only today. I know it's the weekend but is it ok with you if I leave you with Ms. Anderson down the hall while I go for the interview?"

Tink looked at her brother and smiled brightly.

"Sure. It could be your big break right? You should go. Don't worry about me."

Killian hugged his sister tightly. He loved her so much and was trying his best to be a good parent and brother to her. Sometimes he found it difficult but then she would say something or just smile at him and he kept going for her.

"Thanks. Come on. Let's get you dressed and over to Ms. Anderson's place, ok?"

Tink nodded and headed off to her room. Killian did the same, dressing in black slacks, a plaid blue button down shirt with a tie, and black dress shoes, grabbing a copy of his resume, putting in his bag along with his wallet and house keys. As he went back out to the small living room, Tink came running out of her room, dressed in jeans and a pink t-shirt. Her backpack with homework and other items were in her hand.

"All ready?" Tink nodded. "Alright, let's go" He opened the door to the apartment they lived in, letting her out, then closing and locking the door behind them. Tink was already running down the hall towards Ms. Anderson's apartment. Killian chuckled, watching as Tink knocked on her door, bouncing on her feet, wishing for her energy sometimes.

As Killian approached the door, it opened to reveal a woman in her late fifties with red hair that was graying from the top, glasses covering hazel eyes. She was in a simple dress, wiping her hands on her apron tied around her waist. She smiled when she saw who was at her door.

"Well, if it ain't little Miss Tink and Killian. How can I help you youngins out today?"

"Hello, Ms. Anderson. I was wondering if Tink could spend the day with you. There is a job opportunity and they're only doing interviews today."

"At the palace? I saw that ad. Of course you can, honey. Come on, miss Tink. We can bake some cookies as a snack for later."

Killian smiled as Ms. Anderson turned to head back into her apartment. He hugged Tink tightly.

"Be good. I'll call if I'm gonna run late ok?"

Tink nodded, anxious to get inside.

"Ok. Good luck"

"Thanks. Now go and have fun. Just make sure you complete your homework."

Tink nodded quickly, waving at Killian as she shut the door. Killian headed out towards the palace.

**AN: Don't forget to R&amp;R! Hope to have Chapter 2 up soon!**


	3. Interviews

**AN: Once again, you guys are making me smile so much! Thank you to everyone who is following this story: dottie'ssister, Infinity.22, silversnakes, ishe10005, and LegoHouse.  
**

**Also a thank you to Infinity.22for favoriting this story :D**

**Also, James is not intended to be like James from OUAT. I originally had him as Thomas but didn't think that would work since Thomas is married to Ella in the OUAT-verse. So James is an OC for this story.**

**Sorry if the characters seem kinda OoC at times.  
**

**I don't own OUAT or the characters. They belong to Ed and Adam. I do own my storyline and my OC 's though.**

**I am looking for a beta reader if anyone is interested.**

**Here is the next chapter. Don't forget to R&amp;R!**

**DisneyLover590**

Chapter Two

Once Killian arrived at the palace, he headed towards the guard room, thankful for the guards who were posted everywhere telling applicants where to go. When he got inside, he felt a little out of his league. Everyone in the room was dressed in military uniform, most with multiple badges and ranks on their chest. He had started training for the army and was considered one of the best cadets the academy had ever seen, but he had withdrawn after his parents passed away.

"Oh god what was I thinking? There is no way they will pick the academy dropout for their bodyguard." He thought about leaving then remembered that Tink was counting on him. He bit his lip and headed towards the counter where a Major was checking in applicants.

"Hi. My name is Killian Jones and I was…"

"Do you have a copy of your resume with you?"

Killian was taken back but nodded, handing over his copy.

"Take a seat. Someone will be with you soon. It can take awhile. If you get hungry, the dining room is just down the hall with sandwiches available."

"Thank you." Killian smiled softly and sat down, glancing around. He couldn't help but be nervous. He just felt…out of his element. He still hoped that he would at least make a good impression on whoever would do his interview.

James opened a door for a woman in her 40's. "Thank you very much. You are free to go"

The woman glared at James, who did his very best not to roll his eyes and failed miserably, and walked away rather angry. James shook his head and closed the door, looking at the floor where Emma was recovering from yet another attack. David had his arms wrapped around his daughter, calming her down just like the doctor had told them to. He was livid.

"The nerve of that woman, telling us to stop babying Emma and let her deal with her problems on her own. Emma will never recover if we let her do it on her own."

"I know your majesty. I apologize about that."

David glared at James as Emma came to in his arms.

"Father? What happened? Where did the lady go?"

"She…failed the test. She thought that you should handle your…problems on your own with no help from anyone. I'm sorry but that's not the best way for you to recover. James, who interviewed her?"

James thought for a moment.

"Colonel Richardson is doing a majority of them. I do what I can when I'm not trying to help Emma calm down. And don't apologize, Emma. You have no control over the episodes."

Emma grinned shyly. She was just about to say she was sorry to the general. She didn't like causing other people problems. She stood up from the floor and went to go sit on the couch in the room. She pulled her legs up to her and rested her head on them.

"Father, I am getting tired from the multiple attacks. I don't think I can stay awake through any more interviews."

"Don't worry. I'm gonna have the general do the next interview. We will find someone today, Emma. We need someone to protect you like the general does for your mother and me."

Emma nodded, slowly falling asleep on the couch. James turned towards David.

"Sir, there are still dozens of applicants out in the waiting room. How do I pick one person from the crowd?"

"Trust your instincts. They usually are spot on. Just make sure that no one else leaves in case they fail the test as well."

James nodded, leaving the room and heading down a long hallway towards the waiting room.

Killian was tapping his foot anxiously, not really listening to the music on his iPod. He had it turned down enough that he would hear his name if they called him. But he had already been there for close to 4 hours. He didn't want to leave but he was starting to think that he wouldn't get a chance. He looked up as he heard the door open, watching James walk through the door. He noticed that he looked at the applicants still in the room, shook his head and headed towards the reception desk.

As James approached the desk, the major stood up and greeted him.

"At ease, Major. I'm just wondering how many more people are waiting. This room doesn't seem to have emptied any."

"That's because it hasn't. Have you asked his majesty if he thought about extending the interviews an extra day?"

James smiled sadly.

"We did talk about it. However, his majesty is concerned about her highness's health and wants to find someone today. Who is next on the list?"

The major pulled the list towards her.

"Killian Jones. But I wouldn't even bother with him. He was on the fast track at the academy, and then dropped out after two weeks. Has been looking for work ever since. At least the others are in the military."

James looked through his resume. High marks in school, on the fast track to graduate from the academy in short time with all the military training he had finished in school, but what had made him drop out?

"No one drops out from the academy without something major happening. Call him back. I'm gonna interview him."

The major rolled her eyes but called out.

"Killian Jones."

Killian looked up in shock, pulling his headphones out of his ear and walking towards where James was standing. Killian smiled a little but was squirming underneath the intense gaze James was giving him.

"Follow me this way, please."

Killian nodded as he followed James out of the waiting room and into another room with a desk and two chairs, one on either side of the desk. James gestured to one of the chairs as he took a seat in the other one. He opened up the file he had been given as Killian took a seat.

"Killian, it is a pleasure to meet you. My name is General James Williams, Head of security for the castle and leader of the royal army. His Majesty, the king, asked me to help find a bodyguard for the princess. But you know this already, right?"

Killian nodded his head.

"When I saw the ad in the paper, I figured something must have happened to the princess. Something bad if you didn't just promote one of the soldiers to be her bodyguard. I was just wondering what happened though."

"I will leave that explanation for the King to handle. This interview is about you, however. I was looking through your resume and I must say I am impressed. Graduated top of your class in high school, focusing mainly on military training and tactics. You were all set to come to the academy and would have graduated within 6 months. But then you dropped out. Why?"

Killian sighed, biting the inside of his cheek. He knew they would ask him that. He just hoped that they would really understand why he dropped out.

"Right after I graduated school, I was all set to join the army, after finishing at the academy of course. But about 3 months ago, my parents were coming home from a date and were attacked by gangs. They were both killed. I was about 2 weeks away from turning 18, but the police wanted to take Tink away. I promised I would always look out for her and I knew couldn't do that if she ended up in foster care. I dropped out from the academy so I could take better care of her on the condition that I would a job within 4 months. I'm already halfway through that time. I can't lose my sister, not when we just lost our parents."

Killian bit back tears, trying his best not to cry. He hadn't had time to properly grieve for his parents and knew that he might not for a long time. James looked at the young man holding back tears and realized that he might be just what Emma needs, not only as protection but as someone to help her heal. He stood up from his desk. Killian looked up at him.

"I'll be right back. Please wait here. I think the king might be interested to talk to you."

Killian nodded as James left to go find the King.

**AN: Don't forget to R&amp;R! Hope to have Chapter 3 up soon!  
**


	4. The Calm Before the Storm

**AN: So I was blown away by the reviews, follows, and favorites this story has received! Thank you so much for following Emma and Killian through this journey.  
**

**To answer some reviews:** KARIN848, I've always loved the idea of fairytale and modern mixing. That's the great thing about fantasy. I would love to live in a world like the one I created.

WolfWillHowl: Sorry about that. But I'm glad you are enjoying the story so far.

**I don't have a set plan for releasing chapters, mainly because I am working on this in between work and school. I will try and have them up in a timely fashion though!**

**I don't own OUAT or the characters. They belong to Ed and Adam. I do own my storyline and my OC 's though.**

**I am looking for a beta reader if anyone is interested.**

**Here is the next chapter. Don't forget to R&amp;R!**

**DisneyLover590  
**

* * *

Chapter 3

James hurried through the halls back to where Emma and David were. He knocked on the door and heard a quiet "come in". He opened the door and noticed Emma was still sleeping while David was placing a blanket over her.

"James. Did you find someone?" David looked a little tired. But James knew he wanted to get the interviews over with and someone to watch Emma so they could start sleeping a little bit more soundly.

"Yes. His name is Killian Jones. He's not in the military, but I would put him through the academy in two weeks so he can officially be in the army. Sir, he did most of the basic training we make recruits go through in high school. He dropped out from the academy to take care of his younger sister after their parents died. David, you should meet him. He could take good care of Emma."

"Do you trust him with her life? Because that is what we will be putting in his hands. Her life. Making sure she stays safe, making sure that when she has her nightmares and fits, he is there to comfort her. He will have to move into the palace and assemble a team to guard her rooms and the garden area below."

"I do, Your Majesty. He already gave up being in the academy to take care of his sister. I have no doubt he would do the same here."

David nodded, trusting his judgment but still wanting to meet the young man himself.

"Alright. Let's go and meet him."

James led David to the room where Killian was waiting. When James opened the door and David stepped in, Killian stood up in a hurry and bowed down to him.

"Your Majesty. It is an honor to meet you."

"It's an honor as well. I've heard some good things about you, Mr. Jones."

Killian smiled a little but he was still nervous. He kept his head bent, not looking the king in the eyes. David smiled as he took James's seat behind the desk, gesturing for Killian to sit back down. As Killian sat, James went to go stand beside the king. David chuckled a little as Killian didn't look up.

"Killian, you can look up. I won't be offended if you look at me. Besides, how am I to know how honest you are?"

Killian looked up at that statement, a little curious.

"Your majesty? What do you mean?"

"You can tell if a person is lying by the direction their eyes move. It's something I've had to learn through dealing with the other lands and the lords loyal to our kingdom."

The statement made Killian smile as he started to relax. Once David saw that he was relaxing, he started to ask him some questions.

"Killian, James told me that you dropped out of the academy to take care of your younger sister. If we offered you the position, would you be willing to finish your basic training?"

"Of course, sir. It was never my intention to drop out but I had no choice or the police would have taken Tink away. I couldn't let that happen."

"Would you be willing to move to the palace?"

"Yes…but only if Tink could come with me and there was a way to get a nanny or caretaker for her when I am unable to get away from my duties."

David looked at Killian and realized that he was very sincere and would be excellent. He looked at James and tilted his head towards the door. James got the message.

"Killian, if you would mind stepping outside for a moment. We need to discuss something. Don't go too far though."

"Of course." Killian stood up and left James's office. Once outside, he sighed in relief and leaned against the opposite wall, praying that he would be offered the job.

Once Killian was gone, David turned in his seat to look at James. He had a smile on his face.

"I like this young man, James. He seems like he would get along great with Emma. What do you think?"

"The same thing. I think we should have him meet her though…and see how he reacts when she has attacks."

David sighed, knowing that Emma would keep having her attacks until she truly felt safe.

"Yes. I don't want to bring him on if he is rude or uncaring towards Emma's…condition. They should meet today. I'm gonna head back and see how she is doing. Brief him on what happened then come to Emma's room. I'll get her ready."

James nodded as David left. Killian looked up as David left, bowing as he went down the hallway.

Emma was still sleeping on the couch, having a nightmare. She was jerking and shouting in her sleep. David walked in and sighed. He hated what the gang members had done to Emma. Yes, he had cracked down hard on the gangs because his father had let them run rampart. But he wasn't going to let them keep destroying lives. Especially now since they had tried to ruin Emma's. She was recovering but it was going slow. He wasn't gonna let them win.

He kneeled beside Emma and gently gripped her shoulders, shaking her to try and wake her up.

"Emma. Emma. Emma, wake up. It's just a nightmare. It's not really happening."

Emma woke up, her dream still keeping her in its grip. But as she felt her father's presence beside her, she calmed down. As she sat up a little, she ran her hands through her hair.

"Father…Is everything alright? Do you find someone?"

"Yes, and James is bringing him over to meet you. How are you though? It seemed like a pretty bad one."

"Actually it wasn't too bad. I woke up pretty quickly. Hopefully that means they are getting better."

David smiled, glad to see Emma was trying to be optimistic. He rested a hand on her knee.

"James should be here soon. You should move a little. You don't want to get stiff from sitting for too long."

Emma nodded, stretching her arms over her head, and twist her neck a little to work out some cricks from the position she had fallen asleep in. She got up, wandering over to the window, looking out towards the garden. She heard someone knock on the door but didn't turn, knowing her father would get it. She heard her father talk to the servant who had come. When he called her name, she turned.

"Would you like something to eat or drink? You haven't eaten since breakfast."

"Just a cup of tea please. Bring some sandwiches just in case I change my mind. I'm just not really hungry right now."

The servant bowed and left to fetch the food. Emma wandered back over to the adjoining room, listening for another knock. She wrapped her arms around her body, hearing the knock she was waiting for a couple of minutes later. She listened as her father opened the door.

James and Killian were waiting outside the door. James had explained the basic situation to Killian before bringing him over. If Killian didn't want to try and handle Emma's problem, he would have left before even meeting her. However, as they entered the room, Killian noticed that it was well-lit but there were black curtains on either side of the windows. He wondered if the princess was a night owl or if she was sleeping at odd times because of the attacks. After David closed the door, Killian bowed again.

"Your Majesty."

"Killian, the General explained what happened to my daughter. She is awake right now but just had an attack. I want you to meet her before deciding if this is really what you want to do. Just please be aware that she isn't very trusting at the moment and if she seems distant, that's why."

Killian nodded. "I understand. I would love to meet the princess."

David smiled and went to the other room. Emma was biting her lip, Killian's name reminding her a little bit of what happened before she was attacked. He looked at her, worried.

"Will you be alright?"

Emma nodded, which made her father smile.

"Come on. Follow me."

Emma sighed, gathered her nerves and followed her father into the room where James and Killian were waiting. As her eyes fell on Killian, she stopped listening to what her father was saying, her mind bringing back memories from the train and what happened afterwards.

Killian was surprised. The girl he had protected at the train station was the princess. He couldn't believe it. He looked over her, seeing what the gangs had done to her. She had dark circles under her eyes, probably from lack of sleep, her arms were wrapped around her body like she was afraid she would fall apart at any moment, and she kept pulling on her shirt sleeve, trying to hide the bruises and cuts.

Emma was fidgeting, trying to do anything to stop the memories from overtaking her but she was losing the fight. She looked down then back up into Killian's blue eyes and then started to shake, a scream coming from her lips.

David cursed, grabbing Emma as another attack took over. He brought her gently to the ground, trying to hold her arms down.

"James, grab her legs. Killian, hold her head still. She could hurt herself more if she bangs her head around too much."

Both men followed his directions. As Killian held her head, he bit his lip, thinking of ways to calm her down. His parents always sang to him when he or Tink became scared. Softly, he started to sing.

_Rest now, my warrior_

_ Lay down, my king_

_ Sleep now eternal_

_ Sleep my precious king*_

David and James looked up to Killian, as he continued to sing. They watched as Emma started to calm down to the song. Once she stopped shaking, David glanced at James, who nodded.

"Killian, you have the job. Can you be ready to move by the end of the week?"

"Yes, your majesty."

"Excellent. Go home. We'll make sure she gets to bed."

Killian nodded, stood up, and walked out of Emma's room, looking back at the sleeping princess one last time.

* * *

**AN: Don't forget to R&amp;R! Hope to have Chapter 4 up soon!  
**

***The Long Song from Doctor Who Series 7 Part 2.**


	5. Moving

**AN: So...I didn't mean to vanish like that. However, I had a couple of big projects come up for school and I needed to get those done. But school is now over for the semester until I start summer classes start.  
**

**Also sorry for the name confusion. I really need to stop posting late at night when I'm tired. I promise to do better next time. Don't send me to Rumple!**

**For the reviews, I always liked the idea of Killian singing, especially to calm Emma down. I do plan on having more. If you have never heard the Long Song before, I highly recommend it. I love the version they performed at the BBC Prom in 2013.**

**Also, who is stocked for tomorrow's finale?! I'm so excited, especially since we know it's coming back!**

**I don't own OUAT or the characters. They belong to Ed and Adam. I do own my storyline and my OC 's though.**

**I am looking for a beta reader if anyone is interested.**

**Here is the next chapter. Don't forget to R&amp;R!**

**DisneyLover590  
**

* * *

Chapter 4

Killian knocked on Ms. Anderson's door, smiling in relief for the first time in a very long time. He didn't wait long for her door to open.

"Look who is back from job hunting. How did it go, dear? Tink, your brother's here. Come on in, don't just stand there."

Killian chuckled as he entered Ms. Anderson's apartment, grunting as Tink tackled him around his midsection with a hug.

"Welcome back! Did it go ok? I bet it went great."

He hugged his sister back, missing her even though he was only gone a couple of hours.

"How about I tell you two over those cookies I smell. Sound good?"

Tink nodded and ran back towards the kitchen. Ms. Anderson smiled.

"So full of energy. You were the same way, Killian. By the sound of it, I'm assuming everything worked out."

"Better than I could have imagined. I got the job. They want me to be ready to move into the palace by the end of the week."

"That's great, dear!"

Killian's smile got bigger as he followed Ms. Anderson to the kitchen, where Tink was putting cookies on separate plates for each of them. Once Killian got to the kitchen, he grabbed some glasses from the shelf while Ms. Anderson got the milk out of her fridge. Once they were all settled, Tink looked at her big brother.

"So…how did it go?"

"It went fantastic. I got the job, Tink, and…we will be moving to the palace at the end of the week."

Tink was shocked, her jaw dropping.

"We're gonna live in the palace?! Like the princess?"

Killian nodded, chuckling at Tink's reaction as she started talking about the things she thought were in the palace, noting that while some were true, others were way off, at least from what he had seen while he was there. He reached over to grab Tink's hand.

"Are you sure you're alright with this? I don't want you to feel like I don't care about you. But this is the best thing for us right now. Hopefully, we can save up enough to get our own place near the palace."

"But why? If the princess is gonna need help, you should be close by. Don't worry. I'm excited."

Killian smiled, going over to hug his sister.

"Come on. Let's head home and start packing. We will need to be ready to move by the end of the week. I do have training all this week though, ok. Ms. Anderson…"

"No need to ask dear. I'll watch her while you finish your training up. I'll help you get packed too. It's the least I can do for you two after everything you went through."

Killian nodded.

"Thank you…for everything."

Ms. Anderson smiled as they left her apartment to start their packing.

* * *

Throughout the week, Killian and Tink packed up their apartment, going through their items and deciding what they would take with them and what they would give to Ms. Anderson to hold unto to. Most of the items they gave to her were their parents' items that they didn't want to get rid of. During this time, Killian went to see General James every day to finish up the rest of his training so he could take over as bodyguard for Emma. He was almost finished when he had dropped out and the king wanted him to be completely done by the time he moved into the castle.

At the end of the week, Killian and Tink were ready to move. James came over and helped them get the rest of their items to the palace. Killian tried to protest, but James wouldn't hear it. He knew that they were moving their entire lives so Killian could take care of Emma and he wanted to help in any way possible. On the train ride over to the palace, Killian watched as Tink opened up to James and made the general smile with her outlook on the world. He knew it was a simple view but sometimes you saw things in a whole different light when you talked to kids. He thought about Emma and what she was going through. Tink could help her get through some of it just with her personality. He would look into it once he and Emma got comfortable with each other.

As they approached the palace, Killian was surprised to see Snow standing there, waiting for them he assumed. James on the other hand, was not. He shook his head and smiled.

"Your majesty, there is no need for you to be out here. I thought that there was a council meeting today."

"There is, but it's not for a while. I haven't had the chance to meet Emma's new bodyguard yet and decided to wait for you here. You aren't exactly subtle about where you are going sometimes, James."

James bit back a grin as the queen looked over to where Killian and Tink were standing, watching the exchange. She walked over to them. Killian stood to attention and bowed to the queen.

"Your majesty, it is a pleasure to meet you. My name is…"

"Captain Killian Jones. And your sister, Tink Jones. Please, there is no need to be so formal. I wanted to meet you before you met my daughter again."

Killian nodded, understanding a little about where the queen was coming from. He felt the same with Tink, especially since their parents passed away.

"Thank you. You didn't have to though. You must be busy."

"Always, Captain. But that does mean that I can't always be there for my daughter. I wanted to make sure that you would be there for her. I know that my husband wouldn't have hired you if he didn't believe that you could, but for my sake, please, tell me you will take good care of her."

"I will protect your daughter with my life, your majesty. I promise that she will be safe with me and that no matter what happens, she won't have any reason to be afraid anymore. I want to help her get better."

Snow looked at Killian's face, studying his face to see if he was telling the truth and believed his words. She could see that he did. She didn't really understand. He had only met Emma once to her knowledge. She could tell that there was more to what he wanted to say, but didn't. She wasn't going to push the issue. Hopefully, they would tell them once they were ready.

"Thank you, Captain. Now, come. I shouldn't keep you anymore. Let's get you two settled in your rooms so you can spend some time with my daughter."

All three of them nodded as they followed Snow into the palace, Killian making notes in his head of landmarks to use when finding his way to their rooms. As they got closer, he noticed that the hallways looked sort of familiar. He then realized that he had come this way when going to meet Emma during his interview. He smiled at the lengths the king and queen were going through to keep their daughter safe, even placing her bodyguard close by for any issues.

Once they reached their rooms, James unlocked the doors and showed them around. Tink dropped her bags in the living room and ran around, looking at everything. Killian took his stuff to one of the bedrooms, noting that there were 3 of them.

"Why is there an extra…?"

"In case the nanny needs to stay over or if Emma is not comfortable sleeping in her own rooms. She has been having trouble sleeping lately."

Killian nodded. Snow poked her head in.

"I'm gonna go check on Emma. Killian, when you get a chance, come over to her rooms so you two can work out what you need to do to keep her safe."

"Of course, your majesty."

Snow smiled as she left them alone.

* * *

Snow knocked on Emma's door, wanting to check up on her and make sure she was doing alright. She wasn't the least bit surprised when her husband opened the door. Emma was Daddy's girl and David was serious about protecting her. Snow smiled at him and kissed him.

"Hey. How is she?"

"I'm fine, Mother. Just really tired, that's all."

David smiled as Snow looked around him to where her daughter was sitting on her couch. Her hair was pulled back into a bun and she was wearing her glasses instead of her contacts. As she started to ask the question why, Emma quickly answered.

"My eyes were getting really dry from sleeping in my contacts. I need to give my eyes a little break. I'll go back to contacts at the end of the week."

"Alright. Are you eating at all?"

David shook his head. He had been trying to get her to eat something for the past couple of hours.

"She just isn't hungry, Snow and it's starting to worry me. I'm afraid we might have to take her back to the hospital."

"NO! I don't want to go back there. I spent enough time there as it was recovering from the attack."

Both of them turned to their daughter, shocked at her response. She bit her lip, trying not to cry.

"I don't want to go back. I want to be here…with you guys. Please don't make me go back."

Snow and David went over and hugged Emma, David whispering in her ear that she won't ever have to go back unless it was a really big emergency. Emma sighed, trying hard to stay awake. She kept playing with her necklace pendant. It was in the shape of a wand, a reminder from them that magic is found everywhere.

Another knock came on the door and Emma tilted her head a little.

"Who else is coming?"

"Your new bodyguard. He moved in today with his sister. I thought it would be a good idea for you two to talk for a while before you crashed again."

Emma nodded, slightly nervous now. She sat up a little straighter on the couch as David went to open the door.

Killian looked up and saw the king standing there. He went to bow but David stopped him.

"Killian, you don't need to bow to us. We just want you to be comfortable."

"Of course, your majesty."

"Come on in. Emma is awake right now. Plus Snow and I have a meeting to get to. But we want to make sure you two are good to go first."

Killian nodded as he followed David to where Emma and Snow were. Snow smiled up to Killian while Emma looked at him with a confused look. He noticed that she was wearing glasses and saw the stack of books on her table, figuring she needed them for reading. Snow stood up.

"Killian, thank you for coming on to take care of Emma. It means the world to us. But Emma, we have to go to a meeting so we're gonna let you two talk."

"Wait…but mother…"

"Come on, David, we need to hurry."

David started to protest as Snow pushed him out the door. He glared at his wife.

"Snow, I trust Killian…but do we have to leave them alone?"

"Oh David, it'll be fine. Don't worry. Or are you worried about something else?"

Snow laughed as she headed down the hallway, David shaking his head in slight disgust, following behind her.

* * *

**AN: Don't forget to R&amp;R! Hope to have Chapter 5 up soon! But no promises on a date  
**

**Reviews motivate me like nothing else!**


	6. Getting to Know Each Other

**AN: So...monthly intervals are becoming the norm for me it seems. Sorry. I like to blame three people and they aren't even in this show: Sam and Dean Winchester and Castiel. Yup I've been binge watching Supernatural on Netflix and am halfway through season 6, having just watched The French Mistake. All I ask is that I keep Cass.  
**

**On the other note...the season finale...my heart broke over Killian and Emma. Please tell me I wasn't the only one who cried when it looked like Killian had gotten killed by Evil!Charming. And the ending...is it September yet?**

**One last rant...Game of Thrones...so happy about Tyrion and Dany. I'm sitting here hoping that GRRM does the same thing in the books.**

**Ok, ranting over, for now**

**I don't own OUAT or the characters. They belong to Ed and Adam. I do own my storyline and my OC 's though.**

**I am looking for a beta reader if anyone is interested.**

**Here is the next chapter. Don't forget to R&amp;R!**

**DisneyLover590  
**

* * *

Chapter 5

Emma shook her head, laughing at her parents antics. She loved them and knew that they were trying to help her. But right now, she wished they had stayed in the room. She looked over to Killian, remembering him from the train. She knew that he had protected her before they had boarded and now was curious about the men. Maybe they were more thugs who were sent to attack her. Killian stepped forward, moving closer.

"Can I sit?"

"…Oh…of course. Sorry, I should have offered sooner."

Killian chuckled, sitting down on the other side of the couch, clearly trying to give her some room.

"Don't worry about it. You have a lot on your mind, I'm sure. But…I would like to spend some time with you…if you would like to."

"That's fine."

She bit her lip, nervous about what she was about to say.

"I…I remember you…from the train…from that night…"

Killian sighed, closing his eyes. He had been hoping that she hadn't but remembered her attack from the day of his interview and realized that she had reacted to seeing him and remembering the men who had been approaching her at the station.

"Emma…I'm so sorry. I wish I had insisted on walking you home that night. When I saw the article in the paper, I thought it might have been you but immediately dismissed it. I know that I can't change what happened to you or what you have gone through…but I promise to do everything in my power now to protect you and make sure you stay safe."

Killian reached his hand towards Emma, but she stood up, not wanting to be rude if she started to freak out again. She was usually fine with contact, but sometimes she did freak out a little. She went over to her window and looked out on the garden. She heard Killian sigh again, although this time he sounded a little frustrated.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to push you."

"It's fine. Don't worry about it."

That line was becoming an automatic response for her. Even though she loves her family dearly, she needed them (and possibly herself) to believe that she is getting better, even though at times, it seems to get worse. Emma decides to turn the conversation to safer waters. She turned back to Killian.

"So I hear that you are a Captain now. Congratulations."

Killian smiled, almost to himself, but she noticed his dimple coming out a bit.

"Not officially yet, but yes, once I graduated from the Academy, I'm going to be immediately raised to the rank of Captain."

"That's never happened before, right?"

"Yes. But I've always known I've wanted to go into the military, ever since…"

Killian got really quiet and lowered his head. Emma noticed that his eyes looked sad, almost hurt and broken. She walked over to him, sitting near him, gently placing her hand on his.

"Hey, it's ok. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Killian looked over to her, a sad smile on his face.

"Thank you."

Emma's stomach felt like it had butterflies living in it, she felt so nervous. She had never felt like this before and wasn't sure what to make of it. She smiled at him, hoping to get him to smile like before and wasn't disappointed when he gave her a full dimple smile.

"You should try to smile more often. You light up whenever you are happy."

Emma blushed, chewing on her lower lip as she glanced down.

"Anyways, when is the graduation?"

"In two weeks."

Emma took a deep breath, trying to calm her thoughts (and stop thinking about getting him to smile more because that smile had sent more butterflies to her stomach).

"Umm…I haven't really been in public since…I've been too scared. I was wondering if that whenever you have a chance, you could walk with me outside. I've been afraid to do it alone…but I would like to go to your ceremony."

Killian nodded.

"Of course. Whatever you wish."

Emma smiled, now starting to struggle keeping her eyes open. Killian noticed and stood up from the couch.

"Come on. You need to lie down and get some sleep. I won't go anywhere."

"Will you stay until I fall asleep?"

Killian's heart breaks for her. He knows that he is starting to fall in love with her, but can't do anything to act upon it. Especially since as the princess, she would have to marry to help the kingdom and not for love. But he buries those thoughts for the time being. He kisses her forehead, removing her glasses for her.

"It would be my pleasure. Now sleep. Please."

Emma stretched out on the couch and started to reach for the blanket that was on the other end. Killian grabbed it though and laid it over her. Afterwards, he sat by her side, staying there as he watched her fall asleep, a small smile crossing her face.

* * *

James left the meeting early, having given his bit and hearing the rest of it from David earlier anyways. As he was leaving the council chamber, Snow glanced at him, a question in her eyes. Having been with the king and queen since before they were married, he nodded. Snow smiled slightly and turned back to the meeting, one of the council members droning on. James left and started towards Emma's chambers, knowing that Snow was curious about how Killian and Emma were doing. He wasn't too worried. Once he had seen Killian calm her down during his interview, he knew they were gonna work out. David and Snow just needed a little time to let him in. Once he arrived at Emma's door, he knocked gently.

Killian was humming quietly, walking around Emma's room and seeing where everything was, mapping out where he should put cameras and how big a team he should put together to help him protect her. He had a couple of people in mind already. Friends that he had met at the Academy who he trusted with his life. He turned quickly at the sound of knocking on her door and went over, not wanting Emma to wake up since she looked pretty peaceful and wasn't tossing and turning in her sleep. Once he got to the door and opened it, he was surprised to see James standing there.

"Sir, hi. How can I help you?"

James noticed that Killian was whispering. He figured that meant that Emma was asleep on the couch. Killian stepped back a little bit to confirm what James thought. He gestured his head towards the hallway. Killian nodded and joined him, but made sure not to close the door completely.

"I just came to check on the two of you. How long has she been asleep?"

"About an hour. She tried really hard to stay awake so we could talk but after she told me that she wanted to come to my graduation ceremony, she started to drift off and I made her get some sleep."

"No fits? No screaming? No sweating?"

"Not right now. I stayed close by as she fell asleep and was just wandering around her rooms. I keep checking on her though, making sure she is doing alright."

James noticed that he was keeping a good eye on her. Killian had glanced back towards the door to check on her multiple times during their conversation. He grinned as he patted Killian on the back.

"Well, I should get going."

"General, could you have the nanny bring Tink over for a bit? I want to introduce her to Emma."

"Of course. Did she ask or…"

"No. I thought about it on the way over here when I saw Tink talking to you actually."

James nodded, really liking the idea. Tink was a delight, kind, cheerful, and full of energy. Hopefully, meeting her would brighten Emma's day.

"Sounds like a good idea. I can go grab her now if you would like me to."

"Thanks. That would be great."

Killian looked back into the room and noticed Emma was starting to toss and turn a little bit. He looked back to James, who noticed as well. He nodded to her, knowing that Killian wanted to check on her.

"Don't worry. Your sister is safe with me."

Killian smiled in relief as he went back into Emma's room. James smiled as he walked away, knowing already that Killian was falling for her. Hopefully, he would keep his feelings in check, but James had a sneaky suspicion that it wouldn't turn out that way.

* * *

Emma had been sleeping really well, the best she had in a while. However, the nightmares were starting to come back and she started to fight them. Then she felt someone (or thought she did) grab her hand, which made her feel safer oddly enough.

"Emma, calm down. It's alright. It's just a dream."

Emma woke up in a panic, breathing heavy, and eyes looking around the room for intruders. When they rested on Killian, one hand on hers and the other on her shoulder, she started to calm down.

"Killian?"

He smiled sadly, the fear obvious in her voice.

"It's ok. I'm here. You're safe."

Emma nodded, thankfully he hadn't left. As he stood up, she ran her hands through her hair, pulling her bun out and combing out the tangles. He passed over her glasses, which she thanked him for.

"How long was I asleep for?"

"About an hour. Maybe 90 minutes. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. No need to worry."

Killian remembered her using something along those lines earlier as well.

"Emma, I just have one thing to ask of you. Please no games or lying about how you are feeling."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't hide behind the wall you are building so that people think you are alright. I want to make sure you are truly ok. I promise I won't hurt you and I will never go away unless you tell me to."

Emma looked at him in shock, surprised at how fast he saw through the wall she was putting up so she could keep sane. Even though her family did want to make everything better, she didn't always know what to tell them. Killian though, she hoped she could tell him everything, and frankly…that scared her to death.

* * *

**AN: Don't forget to R&amp;R! Hope to have Chapter 6 up soon! But no promises on a date  
**

**Reviews motivate me like nothing else!**


	7. Trying to Build Walls

**AN: So my muse keeps hitting me at the worst times. Mainly when I should be doing my homework for my classes (Summer classes are the worst) and late at night when I really should be asleep in bed. But I love this chapter so I'm okay with it.  
**

**I'm excited for Arthurian Legend coming to OUAT and will hopefully pull it into my story soon. All I can say is that the gentleman who is playing Arthur has some big shoes to fill because I have high expectations for him.  
**

**Also, I'm really mad at Game of Thrones right now for their season finale. I knew it was coming but I'm pissed about why they won't bring him back. And for those who aren't caught up, you will be pissed.  
**

**Ok, ranting over, for now.**

**Now, one reviewer made a comment about it being confusing that my general is named James and she gets confused with David. In my mind, James looks like Joe Flanigan from Stargate: Atlantis. If you haven't watched that show, you really should.**

**Baelfire and Neal are going to be two separate characters in my story. Bae is around Emma's age while Neal will be older when he shows up.**

**I don't own OUAT or the characters. They belong to Ed and Adam. I do own my storyline and my OC 's though.**

**I am looking for a beta reader if anyone is interested.**

**Here is the next chapter. Don't forget to R&amp;R!**

**DisneyLover590  
**

* * *

Chapter 6

Killian smiled at Emma softly, keeping his distance, not wanting to push her too far. As she looked back towards the window, he spoke up.

"While you were asleep, James stopped by."

"I'm assuming to check up on me, right?"

"Yeah. I asked him if he could bring my sister over. She would love to meet you."

Emma turned back towards Killian, a guarded look in her eyes. She was trying hard to build up walls and was afraid that his sister might slip past them, just as he was doing now.

"What's her name?"

"Tink. And she can be…a handful. But if you don't want to…"

"No. I would love to. I haven't really had to chance to meet the people in my kingdom. Just…don't expect too much. I'm still exhausted."

"I know. I'll make sure she doesn't stay long. We're both pretty tired from the move over here."

Emma nodded, looking out the window again. She really wished that the castle was closer to the ocean but it couldn't be help. Her great-grandparents thought having the castle in the middle of town was a grand idea. But she loved the ocean, how calming it was.

_Kind of like how Killian is. Calm, soothing._

Emma closed her eyes, trying to stop her thoughts from going further. He was her bodyguard. She wasn't going to let her heart fall in love, no matter how hard it was apparently going to try. Hearing a knock on the door, she looked out the corner of her eye as she watched Killian go to open it, seeing a full smile crossing his face, noting that his dimple was showing again. She would like to make him smile like that.

Killian opened the door, hugging Tink tightly and nodding to the general, thanking him for bringing her here. A young woman with long, black hair and onyx eyes came in behind Tink, wearing jeans and a red shirt. She waited till Tink and Killian stood back up and offered her hand.

"Hi. I'm Red, Tink's nanny. It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain."

"Pleasure to meet you as well."

"Red's really nice, Killian. She says she knows all kinds of stories."

"Does she now? Well, I guess that means you will have some great stories to tell your friends at school."

Tink nodded, a bright smile on her face. Emma watched her interact with her brother, noting slight similarities in their faces. She nodded towards Red, who smiled sadly. Emma looked away. She was starting to hate the sad smile face she kept receiving. But she knew why Red was giving her that look. Red had been her nanny growing up, having been friends with her mom since they were teenagers. She was worried about Emma.

Killian looked over to Emma, who had gone back to looking out the window, then turned to his sister.

"Now, Tink, Emma isn't feeling too good right now, so we can't stay too long, ok. Also, be careful about touching her. She is still recovering from her attack."

"Alright, Killian. I'll be careful, promise?"

Killian smiled, pulling Tink into a hug again. When she started to complain about the hug being too tight, he let go, stood up, and walked her over to meet Rose.

"Emma, I would like you to meet my sister, Tink."

Emma turned back to Killian and knelt down to the floor so she was on the same level as Tink.

"Hi, Tink, my name is Emma. It's really nice to meet you."

"Thank you, your highness."

Emma smiled at the young girl.

"There is no need to be so formal. Call me Emma, ok?"

"Alright. Hey, do you want to hear something really cool?"

Killian rolled his eyes a little. He loved his sister, but sometimes when she started to talk, he had a hard time getting her to stop. But Emma didn't seem to mind. He listened as Tink talked about her friends from school and a prank they all had played on a bully who wouldn't leave one of the new children alone. He noticed that while Emma was laughing and giving Tink new ideas for pranks, she still had her arms wrapped around her. Tink then tilted her head sideways. Emma bit her lip nervously.

"Is something wrong, Tink?"

She shook her head.

"No. I was thinking about how pretty you look. I wish my hair was like yours. All curly and long."

Emma, Killian, and Red all looked at Tink in surprise. Emma was the first to recover, reaching a hand forward to grab Tink's.

"You are pretty as well. How about one day, I can do your hair for you so you can see what I do with my own. Would you like to do that?"

"Yes, please. And thank you, Emma. You are wonderful."

Tink gave Emma a hug. Emma froze up at first but after a few minutes, returned the hug. She let go quickly though, starting to shake. Killian noticed and tapped on Tink's shoulder.

"Hey, Tink, how about you and Red go back to our room and order some food for dinner? I'm not up to cooking. Sound good?"

Tink nodded.

"Can we have pizza?"

"Of course we can. I'll meet you back there shortly ok?"

Tink nodded heading towards the door. Red smiled at Emma and Killian, not saying anything (although Killian thought she might when he got back), following Tink back to their room. Killian then turned to face Emma, who had retreated back to her couch, curling up on it with her knees to her chest.

"Hey, it's alright. You are safe. I promise."

"I know. It's just that sometimes…I can't control my reactions…I just want to get better."

Killian walked over and sat beside her. He gently pulled her into a hug, keeping it loose in case she needed to get out. But she didn't. Emma pulled him closer, crying for the first time with someone else since the accident had happened. She cried for what had happened to her, cried for the pain and stress she was putting her parents through, cried for the fear that was taking over her. But she also cried for her feelings that she couldn't stop. Emma was falling in love with Killian, she knew it already. She wanted it to stop. She knew she should push him away but didn't want to. His arms were warm, comforting, and safe.

Killian kissed the top of her head as she cried. He didn't want to leave her alone but also knew that he should be with his sister for their first evening in the palace. He looked down at Emma as he thought about the spare room they had and realized that it was probably for the best.

"Emma, how about you come spend the night with Tink and me at our place? I don't like the idea of you being here alone, especially if you have another attack."

Emma looked up at him, her green eyes red from crying. But Killian realized he had never seen anything so beautiful in his life.

"Where would I sleep?"

"We have a spare room. If you don't want to, it's fine as well. I'm just worried that's all. I want to make sure you are safe."

Emma bit her lip, thinking it through. She had slept pretty well earlier but was still exhausted from all her sleepless nights. She nodded her head, laying it down in the cradle of his neck.

"Alright, sounds like an idea to me."

Killian sighed, smiling a little.

"Great. I'll give you some time to get whatever you need together. I'm gonna go around and make sure everything is locked before we leave."

"Killian, we need to let my parents know so they don't worry. Besides, everything is locked up. I haven't opened my windows or anything since I've gotten back from the hospital."

Killian stopped for a moment.

"As you wish. I'll go let them know now while you get ready then. I'll be back shortly."

Emma smiled as he bowed before leaving. _Always a gentleman, I see_. Emma knew now she needed to be careful. Otherwise, she might give him her heart, something she couldn't afford to lose.

_Too late for that, Emma._

* * *

_Jones, you are in way too deep._

Killian shook his head, trying to get the way Emma felt against him out of his mind and failing miserably. He ran his heads over his face and through his hair, frustrated with himself more than anything. When he had first met her on the train all those months ago, he had felt something, hence the little flirting he had done. But now seeing Emma broken like she was, he wanted to kill the people who did it to her while wrapping her in a blanket and never letting her leave the safety of the palace. He knew that was not a possibility so he would have to make do with plans of revenge.

_Is that what you really want to do though, little brother?_

Killian shook his head, trying hard to get Liam's voice out of his head. However, he knew that his brother would not approve of revenge plans. Bad form, he would say. And he was right. Even from beyond the grave, his older brother was still giving him grief. He smiled to himself, not paying attention to where he was going and running into someone, knocking them both to the ground.

"I'm so sorry. I should have been…"

Killian stopped talking when he realized that he had run into David. He looked in shock for a moment then quickly recovered.

"Your Majesty, my apologies. I really should have been paying attention."

"Captain, it's quite alright. You look like you have a lot on your mind, which I don't blame you for."

"Thank you, sir."

David chuckled as he got up, brushing off the dust from his clothes. He offered a hand to Killian, which he took.

"Now, Captain, where are you going? Or I guess the better question should be what has you distracted enough to not be paying attention to where you are going?"

Killian reached one hand to scratch behind his ear, a nervous tick he could never seem to kick.

"I was actually looking for you or the queen. I wanted to let you know that Emma was going to be sleeping in my quarters tonight. I'm worried about leaving her alone in her room to sleep but I also don't want to leave Tink alone since it's our first night in the palace."

"I assume Emma will sleep in the spare bedroom then."

Killian nodded.

"Yes sir. She slept for about 90 minutes earlier but I want to make sure she sleeps through at least the majority of the night…even if I don't get any sleep myself."

David looked shocked. The main reason was that Emma had actually slept but that Killian was willing to forgo sleep to take care of her. Now he realized that he could not have picked anyone better to take care of his daughter.

"Sounds good to me, Captain. I'll let Snow know in case she goes to check on her later."

Killian smiled, nodded then turned to leave. He stopped when David called out to him.

"I have one favor to ask. Make sure she eats a full meal please. She hasn't been eating much lately and I'm starting to get worried."

"Of course, Your majesty."

Killian bowed and started to head back to Emma's room. David watched him go, praying that Killian could help heal his daughter if she would let him.

* * *

Emma finished packing up a bag, checking to make sure she had her glass case, her contacts and solution, and a couple of books. Even though she was going to try and sleep, she figured it didn't hurt to have something to do if she couldn't. She heard a knock on her door. As she approached, she heard Killian announcing himself. She smiled, her heart starting to race, quickly opening the door, watching him smile down at her.

"Hey, your parents are alright with you staying with me tonight. Are you ready to go?"

Emma nodded, some hair falling into her face. Before she could push it back, Killian reached forward and tucked them behind her ear. Emma closed her eyes, trying to hold off a slight panic attack. Killian closed his eyes, cursing himself for his carelessness.

"Sorry. I didn't mean…"

"I know. You don't need to apologize."

She took a deep breath, calming herself down.

"I've got a bag in my room. I just want to check one more time, make sure I didn't miss anything I might need."

"Of course. Take your time."

Emma smiled, walking back to her room, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks. As Killian looked around again, he noticed a picture he had missed last time. He grabbed it, looking at Emma smiling brightly. She was surrounded by a girl with blond hair that look white who had light blue eyes, a brunette with dark blue eyes, a younger girl who looked to be about Tink's age with brown pigtails and cheerful blue eyes, and a boy who looked to be about a year older with dirty brown hair and brown eyes.

"Those are my closest friends."

Killian turned around, not having heard Emma enter the room. He looked down at the picture.

"You look so happy here. When was this taken?"

"Last summer, right before school started. Bae wanted to end the summer with one last big trip. So we went to the beach with Belle's parents."

Emma came to stand beside him, pointing at the picture.

"Obviously, the guy is Bae. He's 15. Belle is the brunette. She gives me some of the best books to read. Elsa is the blond and that's her younger sister, Anna. Elsa, Belle, and I have been friends for as long as I can remember."

"They sound wonderful. When can I meet them?"

Emma looked down sadly.

"Probably not for a while. I haven't seen them since…the day I was…"

Killian nodded.

"Don't push yourself. Come on. Let's head over to my place. Tink's probably waiting for us with the pizza already."

Emma nodded, reaching for her bag that she had placed at her feet, but Killian beat her to it, smirking as he grabbed it.

"So now you are going to be a gentleman."

"I'm always a gentleman, love."

She flinched a little at the nickname, but was trying her best not to smile at it as well.

* * *

**AN: Don't forget to R&amp;R! Hope to have Chapter 7 up soon! But no promises on a date  
**

**Reviews motivate me like nothing else!**


	8. Learning to Trust

**AN: Hi! Sorry for the long delay. I was finishing up my classes for the summer (Passed them both!) and have been attacked by plot ideas for After the Blight. But I'm on a break between semesters and will do my best to keep working on this story!  
**

**So the trailers for the new season of Doctor Who look amazing and I am so excited to see Maisie Williams have a guest role on the show.**

**If you are looking for a new show to try, watch Humans on AMC. It is amazing! I can't wait for new episodes to premire.**

**I don't own OUAT or the characters. They belong to Ed and Adam. I do own my storyline and my OC 's though.**

**I am looking for a beta reader if anyone is interested.**

**Here is the next chapter. Don't forget to R&amp;R!**

**DisneyLover590  
**

* * *

Chapter 7

As they approached Killian's room, Emma listened as she heard music playing, then some voices. Killian shook his head as he went to open the door.

"Tink probably has something playing on TV or our computer. Sorry, I can ask her to turn it off if you want."

"No, I don't want to ruin things for her. I'll be alright, I promise."

Killian looked at Emma, nodding as she seemed to be telling the truth. He opened the door, letting her go in first, following after her. Once they were inside, he shut the door but didn't lock it. As he turned back around, Tink tackled him with a hug.

"Killian, welcome back! I'm sorry about earlier with the princess."

"Tink…"

"I will try to remember next time. I just hope she forgives me."

Killian shook his head, looking at Emma with a sheepish look on his face. Emma smiled at the two of them. She spoke up.

"Tink, it's alright. You had no idea."

Tink looked over to where Emma was standing and realized her mistake. She did a little curtsey to her.

"Thank you and I am sorry about earlier."

"Well, you can make it up to me by showing me around your new home. How does that sound?"

Tink nodded. Killian shook his head, going to turn the music off that was playing from his laptop while Red came from the bathroom, smiling at Emma. Killian caught Emma's attention, nodding his head towards a bedroom. She followed him to what looked like the biggest bedroom in the place.

"You can stay in this room. You have your own bathroom so you don't have to share the other one with anyone."

"Thank you. But, isn't this the master bedroom? You should have this room."

"No. I was originally going to, but I thought that you might like it more. Besides, there is a door connecting this room to the one next door, which is where I will be sleeping."

Emma looked over to where Killian had pointed, noticing the slightly ajar door. She looked back to Killian, realizing that he was standing a little too close to comfort for her, his warmth surrounding her. She stepped back a little, smiling as she did so.

"Thank you for this. It means a lot to me. You are a good friend."

She put her bag on her bed, and then went out to the living room. Killian stood in shock of what she had said. He had already fallen, hard, for her. But she only thought of him as a friend. Of course she did. Why would she see him any other way?

_Don't lose faith, brother. Just be yourself. She'll come around._

Killian sighed, his brother apparently talking to him from beyond the grave. He heard a knock on their door, Tink yelling that the pizza was here. He leaned his head back, running his hands through his hair, and took a deep breath. He went out to the living room and paid for the pizza while Tink and Emma got plates down. He turned around, surprised to see Red right next to the door.

"Hey, will you be staying for dinner?"

Red shook her head.

"I would like to talk to you for a moment though before you eat. Do you mind?"

"No. Come on. We can use my room."

Killian took the pizza out to the kitchen, placing it down, and then followed Red back to his room. Emma watched them go back, noticing that Killian had kept the door slightly ajar.

Once they were alone, Red jumped, questioning Killian.

"Captain, I swear to you, you better have that girl's best interests at heart. Otherwise, you do not want to know what I will do to you."

"Red, I promise you. I want to help Emma get better. I want her to be safe. I will do whatever it takes to achieve that."

Red searched his face, seeing if he was telling the truth. Killian bit his lip.

"You do realize that the king and queen would not have hired me if they did not feel I could do the job, right?"

"I know. But sometimes, their judgment can be clouded. Trust me. I've known them for a long time."

"I understand. Then trust me when I say that I am in this for the long haul. I do not intend to leave Emma. I promise."

Red nodded, seeing that he was honest about wanting to stay and help Emma. He probably wouldn't have moved in otherwise. She smiled and hit his shoulder.

"Will you need me tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I still have a little training left plus the practice for graduation. If I don't need you, I will give you a call."

Red nodded and then left the bedroom. Killian listened as she said goodbye to Tink and Emma before closing the door. Killian ran his fingers through his hair and went back out to the common area, ignoring the look that Emma was giving him. He smiled at the both of them.

"Come on, let's eat."

Tink cheered, going straight for the cheese pizza. Emma nodded, watching Killian but not pushing the issue. She knew that he would talk to her soon…she hoped.

* * *

Emma went to her room early, still tired from her restless nights. Plus she also couldn't keep up with Tink much anymore. She had been bouncing off the walls, dancing to the music that Killian played from his computer. Her favorite songs seemed to be rock and children's music. Emma remembered some of the songs and sang along softly with them, watching Tink dance and Killian laugh at his sister. Emma closed her eyes, remembering the way that his eyes lit up when he laughed, making him seem years younger than he was. She turned when she heard a knock on her door.

"Enter."

As if her thoughts had summoned him, Killian stood there, smiling as Emma opened the door.

"Hey, I just came to check on you before I went to my room. Are you doing alright?"

"Yeah, I think so. I'm still getting used to the room."

She listened, noticing that the apartment had gone quiet.

"Where is…"

"Tink fell asleep about half hour ago. I took her to her room. She generally does that every night. Dance like crazy before crashing. It's how she unwinds at the end of the day. Our parents used to do the same thing, though not as…crazy as she does."

"You should put her in dance classes. She has a natural talent to it and it would be a great way for her to let some energy out before coming home."

"I'll look into it. Thank you."

Emma smiled a little, blushing as she turned to go sit on the bed. She looked up to Killian.

"I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Why did Red want to talk to you earlier?"

Killian bit his lip, not wanting to worry Emma but knowing that she would probably worry more if he did not tell her.

"She just wanted to make sure that I wasn't going to hurt you. You have a lot of people who care about you. They just want to make sure that you get better."

Emma rolled her eyes. She knew that people wanted to help her. But she just wanted to be left alone. Red pulling Killian to ask his intentions was annoying. People were acting like they were going out but she just wanted him as a friend, someone to rely on when the nightmares took over. She didn't want more. She couldn't afford more, not with her mind broken in pieces.

_But he could be the one who does not leave…_

"…need me, just come in. I'll keep the door unlocked."

Emma looked up, nodding, realizing that she hadn't really heard what Killian had said.

"Thank you. I'll be alright I think. I don't want to bother you."

"Do you want me to stay until you fall asleep?"

Emma shook her head.

"I'm exhausted so once I hit that pillow, I'll be out."

"Good night then, my lady."

Killian left, leaving Emma to whisper to herself.

"Call me Emma, please."

* * *

Killian was up most of the night, restless in their new place. He was always like this when moving. He took a couple of nights to adjust to the new place. He had just finished checking on Tink, making sure she was still breathing because she always fell asleep with her face in the pillow. He was walking back towards his room when he heard some noise from Emma's room. Letting himself in quietly, he noticed that she was tossing around in her sleep again.

"No…leave me alone…please…"

Killian closed his eyes. He hated seeing Emma like this. He walked over, gently grabbing one of her hands.

"Calm down, I'm here. No one can hurt you. You're safe here."

Emma whimpered in her sleep, turning towards Killian's voice. He started to sing an old sea chantey that Liam had taught him to soothe her. He watched as she calmed down and fell into a deep sleep. He kissed her knuckle.

"I will always be here for you, Emma. I would go to the end of the world for you."

He rose, going back to his room to try and sleep. Looking back one last time, he saw the hint of a smile of her lips, almost like she had heard what he had said.

* * *

**AN: Don't forget to R&amp;R! Hope to have Chapter 8 up soon! Again, no promises on a date, but hopefully faster than this one was.  
**

**Reviews motivate me like nothing else!**


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